publishing?

Question

My family really would like me to do something with my writing. They are heavilly conviced that I write really well. I actually would much rather just become an illustrator/animator, but...

So to appease my family and of course have a little fun :) I want to publish a book of my poems and short stories. It would really be a great gift for them since I'm normally particular about what I allow them to read...so, does anyone know of an affordable company that I could contact to have it published after I have it copyrighted?

Answer 1

Since you are just looking for gifts, I definitely recommend Cafe Press and Lulu. I think for you, Cafe Press might be the best answer-- you get a great store front that you can use for free to sell your book and other items. You could upload some of your artwork and sell it as well! I don't recommend self publishing to most people, but in your case it seems perfect.

Finding a traditional publisher is incredibly difficult, but not impossible. Pick up a copy of the book "Writer's Market" and do some research if this is what you are interested in doing. But remember, you will face a lot of rejection if you take this path. It is a long road to be published.

As everyone else mentioned, you don't need to have it formally copyrighted, especially not if you are planning on going with a traditional publisher.

Answer 2

You've got some great advice here already. I agree lulu is one option, and another that I've seen used very effectively is cafepress.com (what's neat here is that you get a "store front" where you can sell your book at a price you choose if you want).

I would not give up on your dream of illustrating. I'm not sure how old you are but magazines like FACES often have drawing contests and your image gets published if chosen. This is a reputible company, and the magazine goes to many schools so your work would begin to circulate. I believe the market for good illustrators is going to remain strong, while writing tends to have serious ups and downs -- doing both will help you in publishing.

Good luck!

Answer 3

The world of LEGITIMATE publishing is VERY difficult to get into. And the other world (vanity presses, on line stuff, anywhere you pay for your work to be published, agents who aren't really agents at all) is NOT LEGITIMATE and you don't want to deal with them. Short stories and poems are NOT hot sellers today by any means and no publisher will touch them with a ten foot pole. Just not lucrative. And YOU don't have your work COPYRIGHTED! Don't do that! It is done AFTER publication by the publisher. A big mistake to do this PRIOR to finding a publisher. Again though, I have to be honest and tell you that your chances with a legitimate (and real) publisher are next to nil. Even getting an agent will be difficult as they are VERY particular and only take seasoned professionals and VERY talented writers who have some published material already under their belts. You would need to start at the school newspaper and go from there. You need the experience BEFORE submitting to publishers. Most publishers DO NOT take unsolicited manuscripts today and it will be returned to you UNREAD with a rejection letter. Also, you need to be LETTER PERFECT when you submit something, on the correct weight paper with the correct margins in the correct type style. If you really want illustration THAT is what I would concentrate on. Believe me, I know the publishing world and I am giving it to you STRAIGHT!

Answer 4

Here is the U.S. copyright website. Your work is "copyrighted," the moment you write it. http://copyright.gov/

http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html#register

To find a publisher, purchase a copy of the Writer's Market. It's lists publishers, agents, sript and book publishers. The first step is to get an agent, submit your work (with a large, stamped, self-addressed envelope) to an agent. The agent will return the work, usually, without a letter, if they have no interest in representing you. The agent is the person that, if he or she finds the work worthy of publishing, will contact you, as to whether there is an interest in representing you. The Writer's Guide may be a big help. It is full of information for writer's.

If you have not taken writing classes, you may want to consider doing so, if your interest to become a professional writer.
Lulu.com is also good for self-publishing.

Answer 5

For poems and short stories you should look at entering contest. There are many venues and you can simply Google a search for poem/story contest (you'll have to filter your returns to find legit venues). The "contest" route is an exercise to test for a market (do you write things people are interested in). There are many "writers" out there and you need to set yourself apart somehow. You could put up a website, or a blog, promote it and see what kind of response you get. In the end you may find that self-publish is more practical for starting out. DO a Google search for on-demand publishing and do some research.

Answer 6

If your looking for self-publishing, try flipping through a Writer's Digest Magazine. They have a lot of ads. You can also look at the back for publishing companies looking for manuscripts.

Good luck! Maybe I'll get to read your work!

Answer 7

If you're just looking for a book to share with friends and family, I'd recommend using Lulu.com. Their system is pretty simple compared to "the big guys" in self publishing. (The more you know about desktop publishing, the better your final project will likely turn out.) But you can't beat their price.

Answer 8

There is a book that you can pick up called Writer's Market that will tell you everything that you need to know about publishing your work. It is updated often and I think that the newest version was just released a month or so ago. If you click on the link below it ought to take you to the books description on Amazon.com so that you can check it out. Good luck!


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs/002-2243370-3086426?platform=gurupa&url=index%3Dblended&keywords=the+writers+market

Answer 9

not sure about the where to get it published for you thing but you should check out copyright laws start with the Berne Convention of 1979 and you will find that anything you have written on paper that is your original work is yours until fifty years after your death plus one calendar year and then it passes on to your estate. it falls under intellectual property rights